Thursday, May 22, 2008

Pray for Steven Curtis Chapman

Yesterday I told my writing class that I became a journalist so I could meet my favorite Christian music artist, Steven Curtis Chapman. I've had that privilege three times. I was shocked and saddened to hear the news this morning that his youngest daughter, Maria, was killed yesterday when she was hit by a car in her driveway. Steven and his wife, Mary Beth, have been advocates for International adoption and adopted three daughters from China: Shaoey, Stevey Joy and Maria.

"After our first trip to China, my wife and I knew our lives were changing — our eyes and hearts were opening to how big God really is, and we have wanted to experience more of that," Chapman says on the [Shaohannah's Hope] Web site. "We've really wondered whether or not we should just go to China and stay there. But I don't think so. I believe God is saying, 'I want you to go, get your heart broken, your eyes opened, and then take this story back to the church in America and around the world."

Please pray for the Chapmans during this difficult time.

This is not at all how We thought it was supposed to be We had so many plans for you We had so many dreams And now you've gone away And left us with the memories of your smile And nothing we can say And nothing we can do Can take away the pain The pain of losing you, but...

We can cry with hope We can say goodbye with hope 'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end. And we can grieve with hope 'Cause we believe with hope There's a place where we'll see your face again.